As seems to be usual on these topics I'm going to disagree with my compatriots, but only slightly.

*ETC*

That being said I am glad that this huge expenditure is at least partially locally made. It means that the money is not wasted but reinjected into the economy.

I actually completely agree. There are much better things to be spending the money on. Considering that's not happening through, I support any step in the right direction on something, no matter how relatively unimportant.

What about Madagascar? I mean our long running border dispute with them over the Indian Ocean has got to be a cause for concern. And some anti-pixie cannons could come in useful too, just incase they decide to come down from the moon to take Sydney Harbour Bridge away.

As seems to be usual on these topics I'm going to disagree with my compatriots, but only slightly.

While I totally support defence independence, and I totally support local manufacture, I don't know what we are supposed to be buying this for, it doesn't seem to be economically wise. Of all the threats facing Australia enemy nations are the least threatening. We should have spent this money on electricity and water. No point in being able to fight and not eat. Lets irrigate the York peninsular with desalinated water, solve our looming electricity crisis. There are so many higher priorities for the money.

oh we disgree but its a healthy thing and it makes it interesting.

With defense spending you cant just pick up the tab when you need it, if you want some indigenous capability you actually need to have constant programs and purchases. This develops the skills and then maintains them. Its expensive but that's the price you pay for having less (not complete) dependence from foreign powers - inc the USA. We have the brains we just don't have the industry scale or the plan. Beats giving billions to the car industry and i can think of many other wasteful programs i would axe before nation building things that challenge our young engineers. like middle class welfare

We already have a skeleton crew type structure with some fast jet forces, some armour and some naval forces. These form a core within a greater pool of reserves which Australia could fold out within lets say 3 to 4 years in response to a real threatening build up. Our defence is expensive because our forces pay well compared to others. That is to me a bit of a social security net with better conditions than comparable forces of our allies. We dont spend allot on new equipment and any recent spike is just catch up for previous neglect.

But what we do have is a pretty lean force. navy though cant rely on this we actaully need this to be well developeded at the high end and the right industry already in place.

Omar al Hashim wrote:

I don't know if there is some top secret battle plan that no-one publicises but I think the military has a very old fashioned and colonial outlook to defence. No-one seems to have figured out that the huge expanse of Australia is our biggest strength and weakness.

nah they know this, their focus it seems is to take advantage of our space. They want clear advantage on intelligence/sensors, networked and very mobile forces with a good punch. Its all about knowing where they are and getting there quickly with a better punch and moving to the next area quicker than they can.

If we take our airforce for instance, they would buy 80 to 100 fast jets, connect them all up to a central command (AFAIK in Canberra but could be mobile) and each other, bring in re-fuelers and AWACS in support as well as every other sensor from all three armed forces connected into the whole mix.

Think AWACS , individual jet avionics, JORN and naval Aegis radars feeding back into the command and then re-transmitted back to the individual parts. The point is, the force is effectively multiplied because it doesn't have to be everywhere at once or spread out, just where its needed. The reliance on technology will help our issue with numbers while also roaming our space with a clear information advantage. This costs allot and takes time to build, test and debug with little show of scary weapons, nor is it something you start when you actaully think you will need it. Critical parts should be built here. Not the jets the other bits like JORN.

80-100 jets aint allot when you think its not even one USN carrier wing, but its means allot of they are can be at the right place at the right time, in the necessary numbers and with the right weapons/fuel against any force. that's the plan.

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